ACB Hints At Afghanistan Cricket Team To Tour India In 2022 For Test Series

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) hinted that their national team is likely to tour India to play a Test series in early 2022.

The situation in the country is gloomy after the militant organization Taliban took over the rule in Afghanistan with citizens and foreigners leaving the country to escape the intense rule of the organization after 20 years.

Taliban will be supporting the Test match against Australia followed by a Test series against India: ACB

However, as per the reports and ACB CEO Hamid Shinwar’s assertion, it is said the organization is completely ready to support the game in the country and have already permitted the national team to travel to Australia for a solitary Test in November this year.

Afghanistan cricket team played their first-ever Test match against India in 2018 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and if Shinwari’s statement is to be believed then the team is likely to return after four years to play another Test series.

“The Taliban government has been supporting cricket and all our cricket will be held as per schedule. A spokesperson of the Taliban Cultural Commission communicated to us that the Taliban will be supporting the Test match against Australia followed by a Test series against India in the first quarter of 2022,” Shinwari told Indian Express.

Earlier, Afghanistan’s ODI series against Pakistan got postponed after several efforts could not ensure the series to go ahead because of multiple reasons like the Sri Lankan government imposing lockdown and the series was moved from the United Arab Emirates to the island nation because of the IPL 2021.

ACB unsure about women’s cricket in Afghanistan in Taliban rule

However, there is no clarity on the Afghanistan women cricket team’s participation in future as the board themself aren’t sure about it and leaves it on the new rulers of the country.

“They (Taliban) are supporting cricket and we have got the green signal from them. It’s a clear message to the youth that they will support sports. That is the best sign,” Shinwari said.

“We don’t know at the moment. The government will decide on it,”  Shinwari said on the future of women’s cricket in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan men’s team is pooled with India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and two other teams in the Group 2 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Also Read: Afghanistan To Face Australia In A One-Off Test In November; Gets Green Signal From Taliban